What Matters? A look into Electra's Past
by Arina Ketchum
Summary: A look into Electra's past
1. Chapter 1

What matters?, Chapter 1  
  
By Arina Ketchum  
  
Author notes: Based on a character created by my friend Electra. You don't really need to read her fanfics in order to enjoy this story, but you do get a different perspective when you do read them. :) This is my interpretation of Ele's fanfics, with no nudging from her at all. This is completely my doing. :) Many thanks to Electra for allowing the use of her wonderful character.  
  
This fanfic is rated 'R' for language and certain topics broached. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.  
  
* * * *  
  
I won't make this a secret, and I won't lie. I'm the daughter of Giovanni. Yes, *the* Giovanni, the guy who's head of Team Rocket. My mother was beautiful, as I came to learn later on, but she didn't want the responsibilty of raising me, so she dumped me on my father and left. My father, not having the slightest clue on how to raise me, since he hadn't had much of a childhood himself or much of a mother or father, as I found out, dumped me, too.  
  
Exactly how childish can two adults be? If they didn't want me in the first place, all they had to do was use some simple protection.  
  
I was placed in foster care for a few months, then adopted by my aunt, one of the Jenny's who worked as a ranger in the Safari Zone, and my uncle. Both of them were very, very kind to me, and since they were the only parents I'd known since I was born, I called they "Mom" and "Dad", respectively.  
  
Then tragedy struck when I was thirteen. It was the day we feared would come - only it came at night. Jenny was out on patrol about eleven o'clock, while my uncle and I were asleep in our circus-size tent. Poachers had been spotted the day before in the area of the Nidoran clusters and Jenny was on the lookout for any suspicious activity. She was just about to head home, when she spied an unauthorized vehicle in hot pursuit of a parent and child Nidoran herd. She went after them. The men forgot the herd, and started shooting at Jenny's vehicle. Jenny did a complete turn-around, knowing she'd be useless to the Safari Pokemon if she was shot, and hoping they'd chase after her instead of the Nidoran.  
  
Jenny got her wish. She was screaming for backup on the two way radio, which awoke us at home. My uncle jostled me awake and shoved me into the back of the tent, where the darkeness wasn't touched by moonlight. He ran out, as we both heard Jenny's Jeep come screeching by, then followed by another. I heard the sound of guns being going off...I heard my uncle yelling as there was a crash, like a car smashing into a tree.  
  
"Momma!" I screamed. I dared not move, however. If there was one thing my parents had taught me, was that I was to stay where I was put in volatile situations. I heard a few more rounds go off, my uncle pleading with them, whoever they were, outside of the tent, saying he had a daughter...  
  
I heard one more round, and I knew it was over. Tears streamed down my face and I tried to suck in my breath and hold it as I heard the men dismount their Jeep, and start into the tent.  
  
"Oh God, please don't find me." I begged silently. "Oh God, just make them go away..."  
  
They say God listens to everyone's prayers...he must have gone deaf that night, because I was found out. They grabbed me roughly by the arm, and dragged me out of the tent, screaming and crying the entire way. I saw my dead uncle's body on the ground, and I tried to rip from their grasp, and run to him. They threw me, yes, *threw me* into their Jeep, and drove off at no less than 100 miles an hour.  
  
I must have blacked out then, because when I opened my eyes next, it was morning, and I was laying on the back seat of the Jeep. At first I had no recollection of where I was, or how I had come to be there...until I looked up at the front seat. One of my kidnappers was staring down at me with an evil grin.  
  
"She's right awful purty. We gonna be havin' ourselves a good time tonight, boys!" he drawled with a phony accent. He pushed his short green hair back with one hand. "Ain't I right, Cutey?"  
  
"I think I'm going to be sick." I whispered, and then promptly vomited on the floor of the vehicle.  
  
The males up front - three of them, all looked back at me, cursing a blue streak.  
  
"Little wench's gonna pay for this!" the driver roared. "That's new carpeting I put in!"  
  
"Too bad we didn't take her momma too. She would have been good..."  
  
"You want to mess with a woman of the law, go right ahead. Giovanni would slice off your arms personally if you'd done something stupid as that. Anyway, she's as dead as a doornail now, ain't that so, Sugar?" the second one looked back at me, grinning a toothy grin.  
  
I said nothing, too upset to do anything except lay there.  
  
My entire family, the only one I'd ever known, was gone.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Giovanni", as I found out later, was the leader of Team Rocket, and the three males who had kidnapped me were his minions. The males tied me up, and delivered me to Giovanni personally, looking proud of themselves. Apparently, I was a trade off. They hadn't gotten any Pokemon, but I was just as good ...  
  
Giovanni bid them leave, and I was set on a chair, still tied up. A Meowth was curled up asleep on Giovanni's desk chair. Giovanni paced around me slowly, a glass of brandy in his hand. He swirled his drink slowly, seemed to be in thought.  
  
"What is your name." It wasn't a question.  
  
I was so depressed - wanted so much for this nightmare to end, that I didn't answer, and just closed my eyes.  
  
"Answer me. NOW."  
  
"Electra."  
  
He stopped, I didn't need to open my eyes to know that. Then he started walking very fast - toward me. He grabbed my chin and leaned down, looking me in the face. He was so close that I could smell the alcohol on his breath.  
  
"Open your eyes."  
  
I opened them, anger now apparent in them. "You killed my parents." I said quietly, tears starting to once again fall. "You killed them, you *bastard*."  
  
Giovanni once again stood up. "I haven't hurt anyone. Your parents got themselves killed."  
  
"LIAR!" I screamed. "HOW COULD THEY HAVE?! THEY WERE TRYING TO PROTECT POKEMON FROM YOU!"  
  
"SILENCE!" Giovanni roared, waking the Meowth up. I broke down and began to sob, hard. He walked over to his desk, and pushed a button on his call box. "Jessie, James, I have an errand for you to run."  
  
James and Jessie, two Rockets in black outfits, rushed into the room immediately. "Yes boss?" James cried in a high voice.  
  
"Take this girl down to cell block three. We'll interrogate her there later."  
  
Jessie and James saluted and forced me to stand. Slowly, not caring whether I lived or died now, I walked with them, wishing, wanting, anything other than this hell to continue.  
  
End Chapter 1 


	2. Chapter 2

What matters?, Chapter 2  
  
By Arina Ketchum  
  
Author notes: Based on a character created by my friend Electra. You don't really need to read her fanfics in order to enjoy this story, but you do get a different perspective when you do read them. :) This is my interpretation of Ele's fanfics, with no nudging from her at all. This is completely my doing. :) Many thanks to Electra for allowing the use of her wonderful character.  
  
This fanfic is rated 'R' for language and certain topics broached. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Team Rocket's 'rocking at the speed of light!  
  
Have you surrendered or are you willing to fight?  
  
Die! That's right!"  
  
Two years had passed since my parents murder. Under threat of death, I joined Team Rocket, even though I never wanted anything to do with them. They were my parent's murderers, and here I was, this child, with nowhere else to go, helping them capture Pokemon for Giovanni.  
  
And before you ask, yes, I would have rather been dead at that point. But something, I'm not sure what, with every day that dawned, told me to get up, get through this day, and then go back to bed, only to face another one just like it the next day. Somehow, I managed not to drive myself crazy, pushed back the thoughts of the the vicious murders of my parents. They wouldn't want to see me suffer. What had happened was past, was over. I had to move on, had to survive.  
  
For them.  
  
I moved up in the ranks much more quickly than most of the new recruits, making me look like a damned brown-noser. I got to be a high-ranking official in the Rocket League, within only two years of my induction. Most people were jealous of me, I know, but I couldn't help it. I didn't understand why I was being promoted so quickly.  
  
One day I was called into Giovanni's office. I didn't know what he wanted with me, unless I was being promoted *again*, which was more than a little embarrassing. I had surpassed any friends I'd made in the lower ranks, only to earn their disgust and disrespect.  
  
I saluted Giovanni as I stepped into his spacious office in Viridian City, then stood at attention.  
  
"Electra, I called you here for a very important reason. You're not going to like what you hear next, but it is for your own good."  
  
Oh God, I thought to myself. What could it possibly be?  
  
"Electra, you knew Ranger Jenny and her husband as your parents, however, you were easily misled because no one wanted you to suffer anymore than necessary. Jenny and her husband were, in fact, not your real parents at all, but your blood relatives, an aunt and uncle."  
  
Slowly my serious facade weakened, my posture started to loosen up. "Sir?"  
  
"You were adopted by them, because your real parents did not know how to take care of children. Your real mother died a few years ago from a bout with cancer. And your father -"  
  
"I do not wish to hear any more, Sir."  
  
Giovanni held up his hand. "Rocket, you were not ordered to argue with me. Your real father, the one that dumped you in foster care as a baby - is me."  
  
The world spun, that's the only way I can describe my fainting spell. The world went completely black as I tried to repeat, "My father?"  
  
I awoke hours and hours later back in my bed in the quarters I shared with Jessie. She and her teammate, James, had recently been premoted to my level. James was putting a cold compress on my forehead as I opened my eyes again.  
  
"Why is it everytime I enter Giovanni's office, you're there, looking worse than when you came in?" James asked with a smile.  
  
I only burst into tears at James' words.  
  
"Electra, I'm kidding! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" James tried to calm me down. Jessie would have his head if she found out that he'd upset me.  
  
"He said - he said -" I gasped. I couldn't stop sobbing then. James helped me sit up and I held onto him and sobbed into his shoulder while he tried to soothe me. We must have held each other for an hour, maybe more. When I finally pulled away, I said, "Thank you, James."  
  
"No problem. Jessie will be back soon, with something to eat."  
  
I swung my legs over the side of the lower bunk bed I was laying on. "No, I have to go. I have to get out of here now."  
  
James looked at me, bemused. "Go? You mean leave Team Rocket?"  
  
I nodded and pushed myself off the bed. "I don't belong here, I never did." James nor Jessie never heard about my past, and I didn't want to get into right now. "I - have to go, before Giovanni finds out. I'll slip out before the guards catch me -"  
  
"Electra, that's nuts! You'll be killed for abandoning Team Rocket! Even if you do get away from the compound, they'll track you down and kill you."  
  
"I don't care!" I yelled and grabbed onto a chair for support. "I don't care if I die tonight, tomorrow, or the next day, it's all the same! Nothing matters anymore! Please James, you're friends with the guards at the front towers, please you have to tell them they saw nothing! I don't care if I die, but I can't stay here!"  
  
James hushed me, afraid someone in the hallway had overheard, then he turned to me. "All right, I'll do my best, but I can't give you any promises. Pack only the neccessities, then wait for Jessie to come get you."  
  
I nodded. "Thank you, James."  
  
It dawned on me while I was grabbing my stuff, that while I didn't want to believe I was Giovanni's daughter, it seemed to all fit into place. The high level positions, the easiest missions...  
  
*That's the stupidest explanation*, I thought angrily. I worked hard, only because they threatened to kill me, too.  
  
But if I hated them so much, and they wanted to do away with me so badly, why didn't they just kill me and dump my body somewhere...I'd seen it been done in the two years I'd been here...  
  
Unless I really was his daughter....I stopped going to through my underwear drawer for a moment. Why would he suddenly want me back now though, two years after I'd been here, why wouldn't he want me at all? He dumped me in a foster care unit, and my only salvation came in the form of my beloved parents, now known as my aunt and uncle.  
  
I knew the murders were coincidental; far from accidental though. What were Giovanni's plans for me now, if I stayed? Become a Rocket, turn into power hungry madman who cared nothing about the value of others lives?  
  
I shut my drawer, then stuffed the last sweater into my suitcase, as Jessie snuck in.  
  
"Electra!" Jessie hissed. "Come on, James has a van waiting for you. We're getting you out of here."  
  
James must have met Jessie on the way out and given her a truncated version of the plan. I grabbed my case and both of us ran out the door.  
  
* * * *  
  
The guards at the front gate of the compound stopped the Rocket truck as we were about to leave.  
  
"What's the mission, soldiers?"  
  
"No mission." James, who was driving, shook his head. "One of the recruits is violently ill, and none of the doctors here knows what's wrong, we've got to get her to a hospital. Giovanni's orders.  
  
The guard peered in. I was in the middle, huddled next to Jessie, my face hidden from view. "I think I'm going to be sick." I mumbled, playing the role of a dying woman.  
  
"Please, let us go. Giovanni's angry enough with us already." Jessie pleaded.  
  
The guard nodded, and pushed the button to open the gate.  
  
As soon as we were past the compound's entrance, and on the highway, I allowed myself to let go of the breath I was holding, and began to sob. Jessie held me and James grabbed my hand.  
  
But even with their comforting words, their ideas of what a great future I would have now, I could swear I could hear Giovanni's menacing voice, his laughter ringing in my ears as we drove farther and farther away from the compound.  
  
End Chapter 2 


	3. Chapter 3

What matters?, Chapter 3 By Arina Ketchum  
  
Author notes: Based on a character created by my friend Electra. You don't really need to read her fanfics in order to enjoy this story, but you do get a different perspective when you do read them. :) This is my interpretation  
  
of Ele's fanfics, with no nudging from her at all. This is completely my doing. :) Many thanks to Electra for allowing the use of her wonderful character.  
  
This fanfic is rated 'R' for language and certain topics broached. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.  
  
* * * *  
  
After I left Team Rocket, I bounced around for a while.  
  
I'm sorry I can't jazz up my past adventures during that time, but that's all I can say - I didn't really *have* any adventures. I basically survived on a day-to-day basis, and if I got my hands on some cash - the legal way, I'd never sink to my father's level and begin a life of crime - I'd ration it as much as I possibly could. I slept in cheap motels, you know, the ones you see in terrible movies with the blinking neon signs in bad neighborhoods; worked as a waitress for a few cheap coffee shops, nothing terribly exciting in the least.  
  
Until an Officer Jenny picked me up one cold night as I slept on a bench in a small park in some town I hadn't even bothered to learn the name of. She took me to the station, and tried unsuccessfully to get any information out of me. I was, in the very least, extremely uncooperative. I was just about seventeen, and hated the world for what it had done to me, what it had taken away from me. Finally, she called a good friend the next morning to have me placed in foster care.  
  
Oh joy, I thought, living in an orphanage or with a family who doesn't really want me. But I didn't fight back, I didn't run. I just went along with everything. I was sick of life, I was sick of trying to survive.  
  
I wanted to die.  
  
Suicide had crossed my mind a number of times, I won't lie about it. I wanted to end it, I wanted to be with my family again, wanted to stop LIVING.  
  
And yet...and yet every time I got the courage to do it, either by grabbing a shard of glass, or a sharp object to slice my wrists, hold my head underwater in a public fountain to drown, getting to a building's roof and jumping, or God knows what other way I could come up with to end it all, something, like so many times before, told me to hold back, there had to be a way out, had to be something I could do to get away from the lowest level I was at then, and every time, like the idiot I was, I believed IT, whatever the hell it was, and kept surviving.  
  
I think that may have been the turning point in my entire life, when I went into foster care. Maybe the system does work. It seemed to for me. I lived with a family of four: a mother, a father, and their two teenage daughters. At first, I had no intention of cooperating, and locked myself in "my room" and cried bitterly. However, by the time dinner rolled around in their home that first night, I was famished. I hadn't eaten anything decent in the last three days, except for a donut I'd stolen in the police station when Jenny wasn't looking. God, what was cooking? Meat? Smelled like...rump roast...my mouth watered and my stomach demanded my pride step down off it's high-and-mighty pillar and unlock the door and go downstairs, and for once since my kidnapping, act like a human being.  
  
My pride won out, damn it all. I lay on my bed as they ate, as they cleaned their dishes in the sink, had their "family time", no doubt talking about me the entire time, then one by one, going to bed.  
  
The next day was no different. The mother was a housemaker, so she was there the entire day, while I stayed put. She knocked several times on my door, begged me to come out so we could "talk". HA! As if I was just going to cuddle up to her like a lost lamb, acting as if nothing had ever happened.  
  
They finally got fed up with me that night, and broke into my room. By that time, I had fainted from serious malnutrition, and severe dehydration. They rushed me to the hospital, as I was told later on, where I was cared for, fed and pampered.  
  
All at their expense.  
  
I don't know how many people out there would have done the same thing for such an ungrateful wench like me, but I don't think it's a whole lot. It dawned on me that these people were NOT my enemy, they wanted nothing in return to love me, just like I was a member of the family, and when they came into see me, they brought flowers; roses, one of the most expensive get-well gifts one can get. I could only burst into tears, babbling on about how sorry I was, how I hadn't trusted anyone to get close to me in such a long time...In the end, I spilled everything, from living in the Safari Zone, to Team Rocket. They had had NO idea when they initially agreed to take me in as a foster child, mainly because I gave out VERY little information about myself.  
  
Immediately, they said they wanted to adopt me, give a permanent home. I had to think that over. Did I really want that - to feel pain of losing someone again, if something happened to any of them, to be hurt...to be LOVED by another human being - not just that superficial love my father, Giovanni, had for me, only because I gave him Pokemon as a Rocket - no, the real kind, the love of my aunt and uncle had for me as parents.  
  
These people had just spent an enormous amount of money on me to make sure I stayed alive, asking nothing in return. Why shouldn't I say yes? All they wanted was to love me, to care for my well-being. To make me a part of their family.  
  
I said yes, tentatively. I wanted to do a trial time first - 3 weeks to see how it worked out. If they wanted me out - or I wanted out by the end of that trial, there'd be no arguments, and no tears.  
  
It worked out better than any of us expected. I was the sister and daughter they'd wanted, and they were the family I had only dreamed about since my parents' death.  
  
When the three weeks were up, we sat down at the kitchen table, and I told them I wanted to stay - much to their delight. Finally, at long last, I had jumped from the level of suicide to true happiness.  
  
* * * *  
  
It was hard leaving home.  
  
And yes, I eventually had to leave. Kids, adopted at age 17 or not, are not allowed to stay at home forever to annoy parents. However, I left with a happy heart. I was beginning my very own Pokemon journey. I was twenty by then.  
  
And no, reader, I won't bore you with the specifics of the trip, that's for another book. ^_^  
  
One of the daughters, my sister, gave me her Pikachu for a starter Pokemon, and its name was Thunder. I promised I'd take very good care of it, and I did. Thunder and I were a great team, and even though we didn't win a lot of badges, or catch a lot of Pokemon, we had a great time. Eventually, with Thunder's permission, I evolved my Pikachu into a Raichu using a Thunderstone. Since there was no real rush to finish my journey, I wandered around for five years, exploring cities, meeting people, making a little money at coffee shops for the trip.  
  
However, there was a dark side (Not the "Star Wars" kind, but just as bad), to my journey. Someone, I didn't know who at the time, started calling me, or leaving me notes at the places I was staying, either at the Pokemon Center, or at a motel, telling me they were watching me. The first time it creeped me out, and I didn't sleep that night, but then I just figured it was a crank call. At first, it didn't bug me, but then it got more persistant and more worriesome. The calls kept coming. Someone WAS watching me, they told me awful things, like they were going to steal my Raichu, or they were going to kidnap my family and murder them. I was in a panic when the last one arrived, and I hung up the phone, then dialed home, sobbing. My poor parents couldn't make out what I was saying until I calmed down, and then they only reassured me that someone was just being cruel and playing a prank on me. I tried to obtain some measure of comfort from them, but it didn't work. I had half a mind to pack my things and head straight home to protect my family, but they told me I would do no such thing, and I would continue to make them proud and keep going on my journey.  
  
So, like the obediant child I was, I kept going, for them, for myself. I had to show my stalker that I wouldn't be frightened off so easily.  
  
Little did I know that when I reached Pewter City, my life would be completely turned upside down yet again.  
  
End Chapter 3 


	4. Chapter 4

What matters?, Chapter 4  
  
By Arina Ketchum  
  
Author notes: Based on a character created by my friend Electra. You don't really need to read her fanfics in order to enjoy this story, but you do get a different perspective when you do read them. :) This is my interpretation of Ele's fanfics, with no nudging from her at all. This is completely my doing. :) Many thanks to Electra for allowing the use of her wonderful character.  
  
This fanfic is rated 'R' for language and certain topics broached. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.  
  
* * * *  
  
Pewter City - the stone gray town.  
  
Well, that's what the sign said at the entrance to the city. I bumped into one young man, and he told me most trainers here like bug Pokemon, except for the Pewter City Gym leader, who used Rock-type Pokemon. Thanking the boy, I resumed my trek to the Pewter City Gym, determined to win a Boulder badge. I knew Thunder's electric attacks would not be very helpful in battle, but she was my leading Pokemon, the strongest out of all my six.  
  
There it was, I thought. The Pewter Gym was two blocks over from where I was standing now. I hurried along, almost running, smiling in anticipation of the battle. I was never fond of seeing my Pokemon getting hurt in battle, but winning a battle, especially a Gym battle, gave me such a good feeling.  
  
Here we are, standing in front of the Gym. The place was made entirely out of rock, save the entrance. A man walked up to me, asking if I was here to buy rocks for souveniers. I told him I was going to challenge the Pewter City Gym leader. He arched his eyebrow and asked me if I wasn't just a *tad* old to be running around looking for badges, shouldn't I be at home raising a family or something? I whipped out my trusty mallet (very few anime females don't carry one). "Chauvanist! I started my training late, ok? Geez." I called forth Thunder, and the Electric Pokemon leapt out of its Pokeball with grace. "Rai-Rai-chu?" (What's up Elé?)  
  
"We're going to battle a Gym leader in a few minutes, one that uses Rock Pokemon -"  
  
"Raichu." (Goodnight.) Thunder leapt into its sleeping bag, and closed its eyes.  
  
I put my hands on my hips. "Thunder! I didn't say you were battling, although your skills will be needed." I put my finger to my lip. I only did this when I was cooking up a plan. "I've got it! Come on, let's go win a Boulder Badge!"  
  
I pushed open the heavy doors, Thunder walking behind me. "Hello? Is anyone here?"  
  
"If you're here to battle for the Boulder Badge, I suggest you leave now. I'm not in a good mood to battle at the moment." a man's voice drifted out of the darkness.  
  
"Oh really?" I said mockingly. "Maybe you're afraid to lose to a woman."  
  
There was silence, then the man who had spoken came out of the darkness. "I do not appreciate people who mock me. I am Brock, Pewter City's Gym Leader."  
  
"I am Electra, a Pokemon trainer. I want to battle you for the Boulder Badge. That is, unless you're *scared*." I smiled.  
  
Brock shrugged. "It's your funeral. I'm not very nice when I'm in a bad mood."  
  
"Poor baby." I muttered.  
  
"We will use two Pokemon each. No time limit."  
  
"Fine by me."  
  
===========Battle scene==============  
  
"Damn, you're good." Brock said as he returned his fainted Geodude to its Pokeball.  
  
"The best, they say." I said a little haughtily. No way was this guy gonna act like he was the bigshot! Not while I was around!  
  
"Not unless you're the Pokemon Master." Brock said sternly, "And the last time I checked, the reigning #1 Master was Ash Ketchum, my *friend*."  
  
"Are you saying I'm no good?" I assumed the fighting stance. "You want to battle again?"  
  
Brock shook his head. "I was in no mood before, and I'm in no mood now. I bid you good day."  
  
"What about my badge? I beat you fair, square."  
  
Brock stopped walking away from me. I knew I'd overstepped my line, then. Playful taunting was one thing, calling a Gym Leader a square was another...  
  
"I'll show you how square I am." he turned his head to look over his shoulder at me.  
  
"Huh?" I blinked in confusion.  
  
"Come to my house at six o'clock for dinner. I'll be waiting."  
  
Gaping, I watched as Brock resumed his trek into the back room of the Gym. Slowly, I turned and walked out of the building to the Pokemon Center.  
  
At six o'clock that night (after asking directions from the locals), I arrived at Brock's front door, dressed in semi-formal skirt and blouse outfit. Nothing fancy.  
  
I knocked on the door once, twice. I raised my hand to knock a third time, and Brock answered, dressed in a tuxedo!  
  
"Welcome to my humble abode, Miss Electra. If you'll be so kind as to wait in the living room, there are hor d'ouevers being served until dinner." Brock bowed as I stepped in. Handing him the bunch of flowers I was holding, suddenly shy, I said, "These - are for you."  
  
"Thank you. They are beautiful." Brock bowed again as I removed my shoes in the front hall and put on the slippers provided for me.  
  
My mouth felt dry, and immediately I felt a teensy bit sorry for teasing Brock earlier. I followed him through the house and into the livingroom. He ushered me to a seat, and then went into the adjoining kitchen.  
  
As I now had a few minutes to gather my nerves, I looked around the room. Something was out of place here, what was it? I stared as I looked to my left, then to my right. AHA! The toys neatly stacked in a pile in the corner. Unless Brock played with them, which I found highly amusing, although unlikely, there were some children in the house...his, maybe? He wouldn't be...he wouldn't be cheating on his wife with me, would he? What if his wife was coming home this very minute and found me in here eating her food?  
  
Get ahold of yourself, Ele. I forced myself to call down. That's ridiculous! Did you see a ring on his finger? I had to admit I couldn't remember, as I hadn't studied his hands as much as I'd studied his facial features...  
  
ELECTRA! Concentrate on the situation, not the guy's looks!  
  
Of course Brock would come in at that moment, carrying a tray of delicacies, fresh from the oven. I jumped up and pointed an accusing finger at him. "You!" I cried out, "Are absolutely despicable!"  
  
Brock, taken aback, just said, "Huh?"  
  
"Cheating on your poor wife like this! And after she's given you a child to continue the family line!" I don't remember slapping Brock, but I did, because the red mark on his cheek was evident later.  
  
"And you actually expect me to fall for all your wit and charm! Well, I won't be a party to this!" I began to trounce out of the room, headed for the front door, when Brock grabbed my wrist.  
  
"Electra, hold on a second!" he cried. I think he was still astonished that I'd slapped him.  
  
"Let go of me!" I cried angrily. "You'll not have me!"  
  
"What on Earth are you talking about? I'll let you go after you start making sense!"  
  
"The toys in the corner! They're your children's right? And your wife is out for the evening, right, so you're cheating on her!"  
  
Brock just stared at me for a second, before bursting into laughter. Scratch that, he was doubled over in laughter, and still holding firmly to my wrist.  
  
"Just what is so funny?" I demanded to know.  
  
Brock couldn't catch his breath, he was laughing so hard. He fell down onto a seat, and puzzled, I sat down next to him. He finally let go of my hand and wiped away a few tears. "Oh Electra, you've done it."  
  
"Done it? Done what?"  
  
"Just snapped me out of my depression, of course! You honestly think I'm married and have children?"  
  
"Of course I do!"  
  
"Then I have news for you, Miss Assumption, because you're dead wrong."  
  
"I-I am?!" A handsome guy like Brock wasn't married? I was, in a way, relieved.  
  
"The toys belong to my ten brothers and sisters. My father took them to see a movie so I could have a quiet dinner with you."  
  
I felt faint right then. Well, I wanted to feel faint, just to get out of the situation, but I felt more stupid. "Siblings," I managed to utter. Oh my God, what had I done? I'd just insulted my host, accused him of cheating on a non-existant spouse, and among other things, probably ruined dinner.  
  
"I have to go." I muttered. "My deepest apologies, Brock. Keep the badge." I fled to the safety of the front door, desperate for fresh air. How could I have possibly been so STUPID?  
  
"Electra, wait!" Brock chased after me, but I was too quick for him. I'd changed from my slippers to my high heels in seconds and was racing out the door with my handbag, fleeing to the safety of the Pokemon Center.  
  
Brock stopped at the front door as I ran into the night. I didn't stop until I reached the doors of the center, and then collapsed on an enormous flat boulder outside by the shrubbery. *That's* when I began to sob. In one instant I'd brought my respect level down to zero percent. There was no way Brock was going to let this story stay just with him. I'm sure he'd let everyone else in town know about me, then the word would spread to other cities...my career as a trainer was over.  
  
Thunder, without being asked to, came out her Pokeball from my handbag then. "Rai-Raichu?" (What's wrong?)  
  
So through my tears, I told Thunder the entire story from start to finish. Thunder was shocked (no pun intended) by what I had done, and didn't laugh at all.  
  
"Rai-Raichu!" (You blew it!)  
  
"Yes, I know, thank you for the great insight, Thunder." I sighed angrily.  
  
"Raichu-Rai-Rai!" (Don't get angry at me!)  
  
"Thunder, return!" I wasn't angry at Thunder of course, but at myself, but I recalled Thunder in such a harsh tone as I drew it back into its Pokeball that it was going to take a lot of making up to the electric Pokemon to make things right again. I went into the Pokemon Center, headed for my room, and fell into an uneasy sleep on my bed.  
  
* * * *  
  
The next morning, I packed up my stuff early, skipping breakfast, hoping to get out of town before word of the disasterous dinner last night spread.  
  
I strode out of the elevator, planning on signing out of the Pokemon Center at the front desk and heading for the airport. I think this would be an opportune time to spend some time back at home.  
  
"Good morning, Electra." Nurse Joy greeted me with a smile. I returned a half-grin, as I penciled my name into the sign-out chart.  
  
"Good morning, Brock." Nurse Joy then said. Oh she was kidding, right?! She had to be! Not Brock! Not now!  
  
"'Morning Joy! Wondered if you'd seen a trainer by the name of Electra around here. I don't know where she's staying..." he paused momentarily. I splayed my long brown hair all over the side of my face he was standing next to, in hopes he didn't see me.  
  
"Electra, is that you?" Brock voice was directed toward me. Lowering my voice to about 15 octaves, I said, "Um, no sir. You must have mistaken for someone completely different."  
  
"Hm. Oh well." Brock sounded like he was giving up, and started walking away. "See ya, Joy."  
  
"Bye, Brock." Joy turned to me. "Electra," she hissed, "why did you do that? That's Brock, Pewter City's Gym Leader! He's not a guy you brush off like that!"  
  
"I know what I'm doing, Joy, thank you!" I whispered angrily. I finished filling out the sheet, and with a curt nod to the nurse and her Chansey, I jogged out the front door of the Pokemon Center.  
  
Unfortunately, I'm faster than I am intelligent. Walk out the back door, get away from Brock. Walk out the front door, run *into* Brock. Brock grabbed my arm as I passed through the glass doors. "Hold it, missy." he said. I yelped, not from pain, or shock, but a cry of defeat. I'd been caught in my own stupidity.  
  
"Let go of me or I'll scream!" I said angrily.  
  
"Scream and I'll tell *everyone* about what happened last night." Brock grinned as he saw my eyes go wide. I was helpless against his blackmail material.  
  
"Would you let go of my arm. You're hurting me!"  
  
"Oh, *sorry*. That's the least of your worries right now."  
  
"Listen, I'm sorry I slapped you last night. I was rather upset."  
  
"No kidding." Brock answered as he dragged me along the road.  
  
"Where are you taking me?" I whimpered.  
  
"Nowhere in particular, just back to my house."  
  
So I let myself be dragged by Brock, back to his one story home. There in the front yard, stood nine children - all of them who looked like Brock!  
  
"Electra, I'd like you to meet my siblings." He then proceeded tap each one on the head, saying their names and ages as he went, from the second oldest to the youngest, who was only three years old. I could only stare at them in shock, my mouth hanging wide open. Oh what a fool I'd been!  
  
"Guys, what do you say to Miss Electra?"  
  
"Hello, Miss 'Lectra!" his sibs chorused.  
  
"Uh, uh..." I stammered.  
  
"She's pretty, Bwock! Are you gonna marry her?" the three year old smiled.  
  
Now it was Brock's turn to be speechless. I turned this to my advantage, and said with an evil grin, "Well?"  
  
"Duh..." was all Brock managed, and I giggled.  
  
"Well, kids, I don't know how to reply to that. Guess we'll have to wait for Brock to get his voice back. I need to get going, I have a long way to go before I get to the Pokemon League. Bye!" I picked up my bag and started to walk off.  
  
And then nine little bodies were suddenly clinging to me, begging me to come play with them for the day. I looked back at Brock. "Did you put them up to this?" I demanded.  
  
Brock shook his head. "I did not."  
  
"Guys, I have to continue my Pokemon journey! Please let go of me."  
  
Those nine little bodies began to howl their heads off in reply. Trapped, I looked at Brock for help.  
  
"ONCE THEY START CRYING, IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO STOP, UNLESS THEY GET WHAT THEY WANT!" he yelled to me.  
  
I looked at the little tykes hanging on to me, and sighed. "ALL RIGHT, I'LL STAY!"  
  
The noise ceased, much to my ears' relief, and 18 tear-filled eyes looked up with me happily. Before I knew it, I was being led into the house by the little crowd.  
  
End Chapter 4 


	5. Chapter 5

What Matters? Chapter 5  
  
By Arina Ketchum  
  
Author notes: Based on a character created by my friend Electra. You don't really need to read her fanfics in order to enjoy this story, but you do get a different perspective when you do read them. :) This is my interpretation of Ele's fanfics, with no nudging from her at all. This is completely my doing. :) Many thanks to Electra for allowing the use of her wonderful character.  
  
This fanfic is rated 'R' for language and certain topics broached. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.  
  
* * * *  
  
Playing with Brock's 10 brothers and sisters was a lot of fun. By dinnertime, we were all thoroughly exhausted. As Brock dished out supper, I quietly picked up my stuff and slipped out the front door.  
  
I walked down the street reminiscing about the day, as a jet black car with tinted windows came rolling up beside me. I thought nothing of it until it passed two or three houses with me. I started to walk faster and it sped up as well. I broke into a run, now knowing I was being followed. The car sped up even faster and screeched to a halt only a few feet behind me. I heard a car door open and I knew if I didn't run into someone soon...  
  
They tackled me from behind, and I fell to the cement, skinning my knees and palms.  
  
"You're a damn fool thinking you could just disappear, Electra."  
  
I knew that voice. As soon as the first words were out.  
  
Butch!  
  
"Butch, please -"  
  
"Shut up." he ordered me. "And don't try anything stupid like screaming or this trigger might just come off the safety if you get my drift."  
  
Here he cocked the gun at the back of my head. I didn't say a word as Butch dragged me up and led me to the car.  
  
"Damn stupid." was all he kept muttering as he shoved me in the backseat, then got in the other side. "Drive." he ordered the person up front, and we zipped off at an enormous speed.  
  
"And don't you dare start with 'You won't get away with this!' I hear it enough just stealing pokemon." He noticed the blood running down my legs then. "We'll get you all nice and fixed up before I show you to Giovanni."  
  
"What's the point?" I intoned sarcastically. "All he'll do is stick a gun to my head and blow my brains out."  
  
Butch only smiled, which made me even more nervous than if he had responded. He had that cold, calculating look in his eyes I had seen the very first time he'd kidnapped me. I knew the rest of my life was going to be a slow painful, torcherous existence until my last breath.  
  
* * * *  
  
I spent the night in an uncomfortably cold, dank, and smelly cell. It did me no good to swat away the rats that scurried about as I tried to sleep on the small mattress on the floor the cell had been provided, so I gave up and began to cry. I would never see my adopted family again and I knew they would be terrified when I stopped calling and disappeared of the face of the Earth. How I wish I could tell them what was happening - why I was going to die...  
  
"Electra?"  
  
At the sound of my name, I raised my head and looked at the cell across from mine. It was really hard with barely any light, so I asked, "Who is it?"  
  
"It's me, Mary - You know, Splash."  
  
"Splash? What are you doing down here?"  
  
"I should be asking you that - but I got caught by the cops one too many times. The boss bailed me out, but then threw me in here. I think jail would have been better than *this*, at least. Last I heard you'd escaped and that was five years ago. I figured they'd have given up on you by now."  
  
"So did I." I said softly. "Butch got me today in Pewter City." Then it dawned on me - all the notes, all the creepy phone calls... "He must have been on my trail for years, waiting for the right moment to strike."  
  
"Damn." Splash whispered. "That woulda scared me to death if he'd been stalking me like that. They take all your Pokemon?"  
  
"Yeah." my eyes began to water. "Oh God, they'll kill my Raichu! Thunder won't listen to them and they'll kill her for it!" I began sobbing again and cried into the dirty mattress. Maybe I deserved my fate, but Thunder and the rest of my Pokemon sure didn't!  
  
Splash didn't saying anything else for the rest of the night and I cried myself to sleep.  
  
At first light, I was kicked in the shin as a wake-up call. Two Rockets stood above me, grinning malevolently. I was blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back and led down the hall, while I heard Splash screaming, "Not the firing squad! She doesn't deserve it!"  
  
Tears ran down my face as I walked. I gave up silent thanks to everyone who had helped me and prayed my Pokemon would not suffer here.  
  
There was one thing I remembered as we walked up a staircase - James was one of the gunmen on the firing squad.  
  
* * * *  
  
They stuck me in the back of a van and started our journey. We arrived at our destination about a half-hour later. They unloaded me, and marched me up an incline, which I noticed had a lot of dry leaves on it - meaning we were possibly in a forest? We reached the top and the Rockets stopped and I heard a door being pushed open. Where the heck were we?  
  
"We got her boss." One of them said.  
  
Now I knew Giovanni didn't have any indoor firing squads, so this was a building used for other purposes.  
  
"Good." the "boss" purred, and I immediately knew it wasn't Giovanni.  
  
"Butch." I whispered fearfully.  
  
Butch must have motioned the other two to sit me down, because they pushed me down onto something soft - a bed?!  
  
I heard my captors leave and I realized Butch and I were all alone.  
  
"What do you want with me?" I tried to keep the fear out of my voice.  
  
Butch chuckled. "Always straight forward. You haven't changed, Electra."  
  
I didn't reply.  
  
"Giovanni wants you dead, and I find that not the least surprising, even if you are his daughter."  
  
I gasped. "How did you know that?"  
  
He leaned down to me, and I could feel his hot breath on my face. "I know more about you than your own father, my dear."  
  
The way he said that gave me the creeps, as if the whole situation wasn't scary enough. Butch sat down next to me on the bed. "But I had a better idea. You'll marry me instead and help me steal Pokemon, and when Giovanni dies, we'll take over Team Rocket!"  
  
I was horrified and immediately countered, "Never! I'll never marry you or go back to Team Rocket!"  
  
Butch didn't seem phased. "You forget what position you're in my dear. Marry me or die."  
  
I gritted my teeth and jumped up. "What kind of life would it be married to the scum of the Earth? I would rather be dead!"  
  
I heard Butch jump up and I ran for it - still blindfolded and my hands tied behind my back - straight into a wall. I stumbled backwards, into Butch's arms. The last thing I remember was being dumped back on the bed before blacking out.  
  
* * * *  
  
I struggled to regain consciousness many times, but I could only maintain it for a few moments. Every time I did, I saw Butch leaning over me, leering at me, and I would try to say something, but then fall back into darkness before a word could slip out.  
  
I could not tell the difference between the dreams and reality, because Butch, Team Rocket dwelled in both. When I re-gained full consciousness, I found myself back in the truck (I assumed it was the same one that brought me), but this time I was only bound, but not blindfolded. Butch was sitting across from me.  
  
"Have a good nap, Electra? You must've banged your head pretty hard, you've been out all day."  
  
"Let me go Butch, please. I won't tell anyone anything about Team Rocket, I swear I won't. All I want to do is train Pokemon, lead a normal life."  
  
Butch threw back his head and laughed. "Normal life? After what you've seen and heard? Nope, you're not gonna get it. You had your chance when I proposed." he shrugged.  
  
Tears filled my eyes. "Then at least let my Pokemon go."  
  
Butch shook his head. "Can't do that either. Had to shoot all of them -"  
  
"NO!" I screamed hoarsely.  
  
"'Cept your Raichu, which got away from us. You taught it some good agility moves." he admitted.  
  
I began to sob. "You bastard, you son-of-a-bitch BASTARD!"  
  
Butch reached across and slapped me across the face. "You can call me all the names you want, but don't get my mother involved!" He leaned back and chuckled. "I'm glad I took you when you were out. I doubt I woulda had that much fun if you were awake. We did some pretty wild stuff back in that cabin. Would you like a re-enactment?" Butch looked at me, his eyes glittering with malicious excitement.  
  
My eyes widened as I looked at him. He didn't...he wouldn't have...But I knew Butch too well. I heard he'd even taken advantage of one of his former female teammates when she'd gotten drunk and passed out in her room...  
  
My eyes filled with tears. "How could you do this to me?!"  
  
"Call it payback for throwing up in my friend's jeep way back when." Butch's expression hadn't changed. "Hm, maybe I'll cancel our current destination, and get us a hotel room for the night." He reached for me and with all the strength I could muster, I kicked him in the shins.  
  
Butch only grinned. "Too damn bad you're gonna die, cause you were good. *Very* good."  
  
My stomach turned as the truck lurched to a halt. We'd arrived at our new destination: Team Rocket Laboratories.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Butch, is that you?"  
  
"Yep, and I brought you a new toy to play with."  
  
The scientists turned around as we walked into the room.  
  
"A former Rocket member who thought she could escape. She needs proper punishment." Butch continued.  
  
"Why bring her here? We have no use for her."  
  
Butch grinned darkly. He was getting at something. "I had heard awhile ago that Team Rocket does experiments on humans as well as Pokemon."  
  
"No!" I gasped. Butch couldn't actually be serious. The rumors couldn't possibly be true about humans being used for lab experiments here!  
  
"All of our previous attempts at merging Pokemon and human DNA were successful but all the results died from from the procedure soon after."  
  
"Well here's a new attempt." Butch pushed me forward a bit. "I'll go get a Pokemon from the next room. You two strap her in."  
  
I probably should have taken that oppurtunity to run as Butch left the room, but I was feeling such despair at that point that I might as well be dead. Even that little voice that urged me to survive so many times before had left me.  
  
The scientists untied my hands and strapped me down without any resistance from me, which I'm sure they found surprising. But my spirit had been broken, I didn't want to fight, didn't want to live.  
  
Butch came back into the room, a Pokeball in one hand, an unopened can of soda in the other.  
  
I didn't want to see the poor creature that was going to die with me, so I turned my head to the wall. I closed my eyes as I felt the first needle puncture my arm and waited to die.  
  
End Chapter 5 


End file.
